Boehner endorses Romney as donors consolidate

posted at 11:36 am on April 17, 2012 by Ed Morrissey

Is the Republican nomination race over? Newt Gingrich says no, but practically everyone else says yes. That now includes the man currently holding Gingrich’s old job as House Speaker, who formally endorsed Mitt Romney for the nomination today:

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Tuesday endorsed Mitt Romney as the Republican presidential nominee, becoming one of the last party leaders to officially recognize the former Massachusetts governor as the GOP standard-bearer. …

“It’s clear now that Mitt Romney is going to be our nominee,” the Speaker told reporters after a House GOP conference meeting. “I think Mitt Romney has a set of economic policies that can put Americans back to work and contrast sharply with the failed economic policies of President Obama. And I will be proud to support Mitt Romney and do everything I can to help him win.”

A little too establishment-y for your taste? WMAL and the Daily Caller both talked with Tea Party favorite and conservative activist Herman Cain, who endorsed Gingrich after withdrawing from the race in December. Cain told the WMAL crew that it was time for Gingrich to acknowledge reality:

But on Monday Cain walked back his endorsement of Gingrich saying, “With all due respect, let’s get on with this, OK?”

“I even endorsed Newt Gingrich at one point because I thought that he had a shot. Well, not now. He doesn’t have a shot,” Cain said to Washington radio station WMAL.

A former Cain staffer told ABC News that Cain’s call for Gingrich to bow out isn’t surprising.

“He likes to go with his gut. Mr. Cain walked up to line of joining the establishment without crossing it,” the former Cain staffer said.

Cain softened a little by the time he spoke with the Daily Caller, but the message was about the same:

Former presidential candidate Herman Cain told The Daily Caller that he doesn’t know why former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is still in the Republican presidential race and doesn’t “know what’s going on in his head.”

“Everybody knows that Speaker Gingrich is not going to get the nomination, probably,” Cain explained. “It would have to take an absolute long-shot mix-up of everything that would happen at the convention. I don’t know what’s going on in his head, so I can’t comment.”

“I know that when I had to make the decision to drop out of the race, it was more difficult than making the decision to get in the race,” he continued.

Cain wants to get on with the election, but the big-ticket donors are already ahead of him. Politico reports on the consolidation among some of the people who funded super-PACs for the GOP candidates while the fight was still on:

The super PAC mega-donors who dragged out the GOP primary are getting behind the establishment, rather than continuing to back rogue candidates and causes — as some in the Republican Party feared.

Donors like Sheldon Adelson and Foster Friess, who gave millions to anti-establishment presidential primary campaigns, are starting to fall in line — promising to support Mitt Romney and cutting checks to groups fighting for congressional Republicans.

Casino mogul Adelson and his wife, Miriam, who donated more than $15 million to a super PAC supporting Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign, gave $5 million to a super PAC linked to House Speaker John Boehner in February — according to newly released filings. And Adelson is hosting a fundraiser next Friday at one of his Las Vegas hotels for a Boehner umbrella group that works closely with the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee, POLITICO has learned.

I think the “fear” in this case was that Romney wouldn’t be able to unite the party after winning the nomination, not that he would. Adelson made no bones about his willingness to get behind Romney as far back as January, if Gingrich’s campaign didn’t work out. The issue now isn’t whether Romney makes the best candidate to challenge Obama; that fight is over, and Romney won it. The issue now is beating Barack Obama, taking the Senate, and keeping control of the House. The issues of “establishment” versus “grassroots” still might apply in primaries for Senate and House races, but no longer in the presidential race.

Will Gingrich accept reality and shift his focus to issues and conservative Congressional candidates, as Rick Santorum seems ready to do? The longer he waits to do so, the more his credibility and impact will diminish. He doesn’t need to endorse Romney for that to happen; he just needs to acknowledge that he has lost his bid, and that it’s time to put his considerable talent to use more productively. As Herman Cain says, Gingrich should “get on with this.”

Blowback

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Will Gingrich accept reality and shift his focus to issues and conservative Congressional candidates, as Rick Santorum seems ready to do? The longer he waits to do so, the more his credibility and impact will diminish.

He’s way past that point. He routinely trashes FoxNews which is closest thing to a friend Newt’s had in this primary(even if they did allegedly favor Romney overall) and they used to employ him before his Presidential bid. And let’s not forget how he went after Mittens for his time at Bain Capital. He’s burned a lot of bridges and I don’t know if it’s possible to put back together what’s already been broken.

The issue now isn’t whether Romney makes the best candidate to challenge Obama; that fight is over, and Romney won it. The issue now is beating Barack Obama, taking the Senate, and keeping control of the House.

I’m still worried about the unity issue. It is great going out after Obama and Romney clearly will be the nominee but has he really rallied the base or merely a bunch of fat cat donors?

I’ve been behind Romney ever since Pawlenty exited the race, and I rather like Herman Cain. Always have. Considered him for my support, eventually decided against it but it wasn’t because I didn’t like him.

Come on… for bloggers and the media, the War on Mitt is a bonanza. People talked and talked for hours about potential drama on the convention floor. Now every endorsement or holdout endorsement is a chance for sites to rack up the hits as people snipe back and forth.

I’ve been behind Romney ever since Pawlenty exited the race, and I rather like Herman Cain. Always have. Considered him for my support, eventually decided against it but it wasn’t because I didn’t like him.

You assume “Rmoney” folks disliked him. It’s one thing to dislike someone as a candidate, it’s another to just plain dislike him.

I doubt that any RMoney supporters truly disliked him… But with ads like this and this he truly wasn’t a serious candidate.

SauerKraut537 on April 17, 2012 at 11:49 AM

Cain was routinely slagged in the comments here for a long time and still is on occasion. Basically look at the average comment made about Newt or Santorum – i.e. “he’s not a conservative,” “he’s only running to satiate his giant ego,” “he’s only opposing Romney for financial reasons and greed,” etc. – and just swap out Newt/Santorum’s names with Cain to see what people were saying about Cain until Gingrich and Santorum came along as the next frontrunners.

Ed, we still need time to digest the fact that a Rockefeller Republican is the standard bearer. Since Reagan, we have had two Bushes and now Romney (forget Dole and Mc Cain). I will vote for the guy but it hurts dude it really hurts.

Doomberg on April 17, 2012 at 12:00 PM
Every candidate was trashed here. My prospective is that Cain was one of the most liked here. He is a hell of a cool guy and got sidetracked by the harrasment stuff. Now he’s making some sweet, creepy ads.

The issue now isn’t whether Romney makes the best candidate to challenge Obama; that fight is over, and Romney won it. The issue now is beating Barack Obama, taking the Senate, and keeping control of the House. The issues of “establishment” versus “grassroots” still might apply in primaries for Senate and House races, but no longer in the presidential race.

A man or person that creates advertising. One other question for you SauerKraut537 if I may. Ed just posted a story on Rmoney™ possibly doing an appearance on SNL. Would that be considered Presidential?

Fair enough. Do you perceive “true con” to be a compliment or an insult?

Bmore on April 17, 2012 at 12:13 PM

If it’s capitalized, I use True Conservative as a grave insult on par with “Obama cultist.”

It not, it’s just an awkward phrasing of “true conservative,” which itself is a puzzling term, given that there’s no such thing as an absolute when it comes to ideology (which would then make every conservative, or no conservative, a “true conservative”).

It is great going out after Obama and Romney clearly will be the nominee but has he really rallied the base or merely a bunch of fat cat donors?

Happy Nomad on April 17, 2012 at 11:46 AM

Check the delegate count for your answer. If “the base” wanted somebody else then that person would be the presumptive nominee. The meme that only those who oppose Romney belong to “the base” is as tired as it is ridiculous.

I must confess to have not being familiar with the term until just a few days ago. It was directed at me by another commenter. Upon researching its origin, I was surprised to find it was a leftist talking point. This struck me as curious as to why someone on our side of the isle would have co-opted it for use against other Conservatives. I am still trying to understand that.

This struck me as curious as to why someone on our side of the isle would have co-opted it for use against other Conservatives. I am still trying to understand that.

Bmore on April 17, 2012 at 12:25 PM

And yet your kind has no problem “co-opting” the rhetoric of the Left when attacking Romney. As I said, it’s ironic to see those who call themselves “true conservatives” (or whatever you see yourself as) while spouting an assortment of Left-wing talking points against a GOP candidate. Which is especially weird when the last remaining ABR favorites, Newty and Santy, have both drawn quite a bit of praise from notorious Leftists like Michael Moore and Markos Moulitsas for attacks leveled at Romney. Is adopting OWS rhetoric what a “true conservative” does? Again, it’s irony.

A man or person that creates advertising. One other question for you SauerKraut537 if I may. Ed just posted a story on Rmoney™ possibly doing an appearance on SNL. Would that be considered Presidential?

Bmore on April 17, 2012 at 12:19 PM

That’s what I thought you meant but wasn’t sure if you were alluding to something else.

It’s not unprecedented that candidates get up and do SNL as of late, but at one point in time it was considered to be so (unpresidential).

I’m kind of torn on the question though… One side of me wants him to do it to lighten the arguments against him being a stuffy Harvard type, but then I can see it being a trap as well.

Something nuanced in the skit will have liberals chuckling I’m sure, but Romney’s no idiot.

Look, anyone who is basing who they vote for on some dumb SNL skit that the candidate did isn’t reality. I doubt that anybody is going to vote against a candidate just because they were made fun of on SNL. The facts are that they’re alREADY making fun of him on SNL…

So some self deprecating behavior is one way to defuse those stuffy arguments now used against him. It seems to me that if he doesn’t go on there that the argument that he’s stuffy is only reinforced.

And yet your kind has no problem “co-opting” the rhetoric of the Left when attacking Romney. As I said, it’s ironic to see those who call themselves “true conservatives” (or whatever you see yourself as) while spouting an assortment of Left-wing talking points against a GOP candidate. Which is especially weird when the last remaining ABR favorites, Newty and Santy, have both drawn quite a bit of praise from notorious Leftists like Michael Moore and Markos Moulitsas for attacks leveled at Romney. Is adopting OWS rhetoric what a “true conservative” does? Again, it’s irony.

cicerone on April 17, 2012 at 12:31 PM

cicerone, Please direct me to my spouting of left wing talking points. My comment record is very clear here at HA.

Fair enough. My opinion is for him to pass. Nothing worth wild as you point out can be gained. If nothing can be gained then why do it?

Bmore on April 17, 2012 at 12:41 PM

There is something to be gained. People like seeing people going into the Lions Den and facing things. It endears them to them.

He can certainly defuse the Obama talking points that he’s an out of touch, stuffy, 1 percenter who doesn’t get down in the dirt with the rest of us and can’t relate.

Showing his humorous side might make people more open to him. Self deprecation can be a good thing… Perry tried it by joking about his colossal flub on the 3 departments he would get rid of as President.

As usual, here in California we don’t get any say in who the Republican candidate is, it’s all over by the time we’re allowed to vote. Then in the election, the conservatives here get out-voted and all our delegates go to the Democrat. At least we were able to send McClintock to Washington, but we would have been better off if we’d elected him Governor instead of Arnold.

I must confess to have not being familiar with the term until just a few days ago. It was directed at me by another commenter. Upon researching its origin, I was surprised to find it was a leftist talking point. This struck me as curious as to why someone on our side of the isle would have co-opted it for use against other Conservatives. I am still trying to understand that.

Bmore on April 17, 2012 at 12:25 PM

“TruCon” is just the latest permutation of “right-wing extremist” and “wingnut.” I usually don’t take anyone who says it seriously, since it’s just a content-free smear meant to shut down criticism of Romney or the Republican Party from the right.

And yet your kind has no problem “co-opting” the rhetoric of the Left when attacking Romney. As I said, it’s ironic to see those who call themselves “true conservatives” (or whatever you see yourself as) while spouting an assortment of Left-wing talking points against a GOP candidate. Which is especially weird when the last remaining ABR favorites, Newty and Santy, have both drawn quite a bit of praise from notorious Leftists like Michael Moore and Markos Moulitsas for attacks leveled at Romney. Is adopting OWS rhetoric what a “true conservative” does? Again, it’s irony.

cicerone on April 17, 2012 at 12:31 PM

Sorry to say, but I must leave this thread now, one thing before I go. I read a good many of your comments. I’m not sure you even realize you are doing it. Irony indeed.

Both Newt and Paul should take it to the convention. Nothing is gained by giving up when half the contests are still to occur. Romney is going to lose to Obama. We need to at least try to salvage 2012.

As another Pawlenty turned Romney supporter, I never had a personal gripe with Herman Cain, but there was no way someone that illiterate in foreign policy and world affairs could be considered presidential material.

Both Newt and Paul should take it to the convention. Nothing is gained by giving up when half the contests are still to occur. Romney is going to lose to Obama. We need to at least try to salvage 2012.

alwaysfiredup on April 17, 2012 at 1:17 PM

Quit being a negative Nellie please. At least try to be positive will you?

Romney is going to do just fine, and IS doing jsut fine.

It’s 6 months out from the actual election. As the GSA scandal, the secret service scandal, Obamacares imminent overrturning, etc continue, it will leave Obama with nothing to run on. He doesn’t have anything to run on now except snipe anyone elses honest attempts to right the course of this nation.

He has nothing to add to the debate except negative Nellieism… Remind you of anyone?

Both Newt and Paul should take it to the convention. Nothing is gained by giving up when half the contests are still to occur. Romney is going to lose to Obama. We need to at least try to salvage 2012.

He’s way past that point. He routinely trashes FoxNews which is closest thing to a friend Newt’s had in this primary(even if they did allegedly favor Romney overall) and they used to employ him before his Presidential bid. And let’s not forget how he went after Mittens for his time at Bain Capital. He’s burned a lot of bridges and I don’t know if it’s possible to put back together what’s already been broken.

Doughboy on April 17, 2012 at 11:44 AM

Bingo. Oh well, maybe he could get a job in Alaska working with the Palins. Calista would love it there./

Will Gingrich accept reality and shift his focus to issues and conservative Congressional candidates, as Rick Santorum seems ready to do? The longer he waits to do so, the more his credibility and impact will diminish. He doesn’t need to endorse Romney for that to happen; he just needs to acknowledge that he has lost his bid, and that it’s time to put his considerable talent to use more productively.

Yeah …uh huh.

And if it was Romney refusing to endorse either one of these guys we’d be hearing ‘sore loser’ from here to the ends of the earth.

Both these guys need to man up and offer up their support to the man who bested them.

Their actions are not only unsportsmanlike but embarrassing.

If I recall, Romney didn’t take his ball and go home in 2008 but actually went out and campaigned for McCain.

And yet your kind has no problem “co-opting” the rhetoric of the Left when attacking Romney. As I said, it’s ironic to see those who call themselves “true conservatives” (or whatever you see yourself as) while spouting an assortment of Left-wing talking points against a GOP candidate. Which is especially weird when the last remaining ABR favorites, Newty and Santy, have both drawn quite a bit of praise from notorious Leftists like Michael Moore and Markos Moulitsas for attacks leveled at Romney. Is adopting OWS rhetoric what a “true conservative” does? Again, it’s irony.

cicerone on April 17, 2012 at 12:31 PM

Talk about clueless.

Can you please remind us what did SOROS say about Romney? Who cares what Moore says about anything when the pinnacle of Progressive Liberal crowd LOVES Romney and what he stands for, on par with Obama by his own evaluation.

Both Newt and Paul should take it to the convention. Nothing is gained by giving up when half the contests are still to occur. Romney is going to lose to Obama. We need to at least try to salvage 2012.

alwaysfiredup on April 17, 2012 at 1:17 PM

Let me get this straight. Your plan to beat Obama is to run either the guy that couldn’t win a single state among Republican voters or the guy who won 2 states among Republican voters. Good luck with that.

I think we should go with the guy who’s leading by over 1,000,000 Republican primary votes.